To analyse samples, for example body fluids such as blood or urine, analysis systems are frequently used in which the samples to be analysed are placed on a test element and possibly react with one or more reagents in a test array on the test element before they are analysed. Optical, particularly photometric, and electrochemical evaluation of test elements are the most common methods for quickly determining the concentration of analytes in samples. Photometric and electrochemical evaluations are generally used in the field of chemical analysis, environmental analysis and in particular in the field of medical diagnosis. Especially in the field of blood glucose diagnosis from capillary blood, test elements which are evaluated photometrically or electrochemically carry a great weight.
In recent years, portable meters for determining blood sugar have become significant. They allow an easy-to-use meter, a piercing aid optimized for piercing pain and a single-use test element to be used at any time to determine blood sugar measured values and hence to effect more accurate insulin dosage for the patient in order to stabilize his blood sugar value.
There are various forms of test elements. By way of example, essentially square lamellae, also called slides, are known, in the centre of which there is a multilayer test array. Diagnostic test elements in strip form are called test strips. For the purpose of three-dimensional separation of a detection zone and a sample application point on a test element, capillary test elements are known from the prior art, e.g. from WO 99/29429.
Sample analysis performed using a test element in an analysis system produces an analysis result, e.g. an ascertained blood sugar concentration value. This analysis result is usually indicated on a visual display panel in the analysis system, e.g. on a liquid crystal display. For users who suffer from visual impairment or blindness, an audible output is additionally provided.
WO 03/039362 A1 relates to a reagentless whole-blood glucose meter in which a processor communicates measured concentration results and/or other information to a controller. The controller operates a visual display panel for presenting the information to a user. In addition or as an alternative to the visual display panel, an audible output for the information may be provided.
WO 02/062212 A1 relates to a management system for personal health which comprises an output apparatus which communicates a treatment recommendation to a patient. The output apparatus can transmit the treatment recommendation using audible, visible or tactile means, for example using a warning tone generator or a system indicator.
A piece of information is audibly output usually using an audible signal generator or a loudspeaker.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,016 relates to an output system for blind people in which information is transmitted by audible signals. This is an output system in a pocket calculator, for example, in which the digits of a calculation result are output using uniformly spaced tone sequences with a different number of tones at the same frequency.
DE 25 50 614 relates to a method for audible output through the production of an encoded electrical output signal which denotes a recoverable piece of information. This encoded electrical output signal is used to produce a predetermined number of audible tones at essentially the same frequency, the number of these tones denoting the recoverable piece of information. The recoverable piece of information may be at least one decimal number, for example, with the number of audible tones being equal to the decimal number.